Coffee's For Closers
by isabella13x
Summary: Frank doesn't have much - but he just got a job at Pete's coffee shop. What Frank doesn't know about this job is that it's going to change his life. AU and bandslash - lots of it. That's probably all you need to know for now...
1. Chapter 1

The short man walked quickly down the grey street. It was late November, and the weather was getting colder by the hour. The man shivered and coughed violently, causing a passing woman to stop and ask if he was alright. Frank nodded, and the two strangers carried on their own way. Frank shivered, and thought about how he needed a new jacket – preferably a winter one, not his old fall jacket.

_Yeah, that's great and all, but you need money to buy a new jacket, _a nagging voice in his head reminded him. He shivered yet again, causing a chain reaction of violent coughs to rack his chest. Frank looked up from the sidewalk and saw a small sign hanging from a building. He noticed it was a coffee shop – it must have been new, Frank was in this area only a week or two before and he hadn't remembered it. He started to walk quickly, hoping that he might not get kicked out for sitting there a bit – he knew he couldn't afford to buy a coffee, not today. As he turned toward the front door, a small sign in the window caught his eye. It read 'HELP WANTED'. The sign gave him a slight gleam of hope, and he smiled as he opened the door and walked in.

Frank looked around the shop after he had closed the door. It wasn't too big, which made it very warm. The decorations were somewhat modern, but at the same time, they were something you could find in a average family's house. There were only two people in the shop. Frank walked towards the counter, which was lined with barstools, where a tall, thin young man was tapping his fingers to a song playing over the speakers. Frank reached the counter and cleared his throat. The man looked up.

"Hey there, handsome. What can I do for you?" He smiled at Frank, who blushed slightly.

"Umm, I saw your sign – are you still hiring?" Frank looked down at the counter and then back to the brown haired man. He nodded.

"Yeah, just lemme get the manager. Hold on a sec." He turned towards the half window that, Frank guessed, led to the kitchen, or at least, a back room. "My name's Brendon, by the way!" The taller man smiled, and winked at Frank as another man walked through a door between the store and the back room. He walked through the divider separating the customer's side of the shop and the side behind the counter.

"Hey, I'm Pete Wentz." The dark haired man held out his hand, and Frank shook it.

"Frank Iero." He said, and Pete spoke.

"So, you want to work here?" Frank nodded, and Pete continued.

"Well, it's pretty straightforward – all you have to do is make and serve coffee – unless you're better at cooking, cause then I'd have you in the kitchen with Spencer." Frank shook his head.

"I'm awful at cooking, sorry." Frank blushed, and looked down. Pete thought for a second.

"Yeah, it's probably better you're out here with Brendon. He loves to talk, and if he isn't bugging customers, he's bitching to Spencer or me about how he's all alone out here, with no one to talk to." Brendon looked over at Pete with shock.

"I do _not_." He exclaimed. Pete laughed at his pouting expression, and turned back to Frank.

"Well, anyway, I don't really need a resume or references, so all I want to know is that you aren't a criminal," Frank shook his head, "and can you start work tomorrow? I know it's a bit sudden, but – Frank cut him off,

"Yeah, no problem!" He said eagerly. Pete laughed.

"Well, I'll see you tomorrow, then." He turned to Brendon, "I have to run out and see Patrick for a bit. Be back later!" He shook Frank's hand again, and headed towards the door, grabbing a jacket off the coat rack before exiting the shop. Frank turned towards Brendon, who winked at him.

Blushing, Frank said, "Well, I'll see you, then." Brendon laughed.

"Sure – see you later, Frank!" Frank turned towards the door Pete had just left through and walked out of the cafe. He couldn't contain a smile as he began walking down the street, towards his friend Ray's apartment.

Meanwhile, Ray was walking distractedly through his apartment. He hadn't heard from Frank in days, which wouldn't have worried him if he didn't know how easily his friend got sick. Every time Frank showed up, Ray was more than happy to let him crash on his couch. On the other hand, Frank actually had to _show up_. Ray paced for another 10 minutes until he heard a small knock on the front door. He practically ran to the door and almost ripped it off the hinges, to find Frank standing outside his door. Ray didn't know if he wanted to hug him or hit him, but he decided to go with the more friendly approach.

"Ray – what the fuck-?" Frank spluttered as the much taller man hugged him. Ray put him down, and punched him lightly on the arm.

"Where the fuck were you, man? You left before I woke up, and Christa and I called around for hours trying to figure out where you were!" Frank looked down, and coughed. Ray frowned.

"Frank, man, you know how easily you get sick. C'mon, I'll make coffee." The two men walked into the small apartment, and Frank headed for the living room couch. Ray came back a few minutes later with two mugs of coffee, and sat in a chair across from the couch.

"Frank, you know you can stay here whenever you need. It's not like Christa minds, either. We don't want you sick again. Last time you got a cold, you ended up in the hospital with pneumonia." Frank looked down at his coffee.

"I know, Ray. I'm sorry, man, but it's just...I don't know. I hate imposing-" Ray began to speak, but Frank cut him off, "Anyway, I've got good news. I got a job, Ray!" Ray stared for a moment, before breaking into a huge grin.

"That's great, Frank! Where are you working?" He asked.

"At some little coffee shop. Man, you know what this means? I can get my own place!" Frank's face became happier, and Ray smiled.

The two friends talked for hours, and when Ray's girlfriend, Christa, came home, she, too, joined their discussions. After dinner, she and Ray were cleaning the kitchen, and upon their return to the living room, they found Frank curled up on the couch, fast asleep. Christa pulled a blanket over him, and she and Ray went to their bedroom.

The next morning, they woke up to find Frank gone. In his place was the blanket folded up and a note.

_Thanks guys. Gone to work. See you later._


	2. Chapter 2

**Hi again! Sorry it's taken so long to update, but I've been pretty busy. Anyway, I rewrote chapter 1, so you may want to check that out again first. I decided that the story would be better in third person, so...yeah. Thanks for reading, and keep reviewing!**

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><p>Pete parked his car outside the cafe and stepped out. He smiled, and walked towards the locked door, pulling out his keys in the process. As he opened the shop, he hummed along to the radio. About 20 minutes before the shop was supposed to open, the door opened, causing the bell to ring. Pete looked over to see Frank, the kid he had met yesterday, hanging up his jacket.<p>

"Morning, Frank." Pete said happily. Frank headed towards the counter Pete was wiping off.

"Morning, Mr. Wentz." Frank said. Pete laughed a little.

"Call me Pete, okay?" Frank nodded.

"So, what do I need to do?" Frank asked, looking around awkwardly. Pete handed him a cloth.

"Help me clean up the counter area, and wipe down the tables. I'm just gonna go start the ovens in the back." Frank nodded, and Pete left. A little while later, Frank heard the door open. He looked over to see a well-groomed man walk in, followed by Brendon. Brendon appeared to be talking about something he thought was very interesting, but Spencer looked like he'd rather be somewhere else. Brendon looked over and saw Frank, and hurried over, dragging Spencer along by the arm.

"Hey, Frank! This is Spencer! Spencer, this is Frank!" Brendon smiled at both, and Frank smiled as nicely as he could at Spencer. Spencer gave a small smile, and shook Frank's outstretched hand.

"Nice to meet you, Frank. Brendon's been talking about you ever since I picked him up this morning." Frank blushed, and Spencer smiled again. He said he'd see Frank later, and headed towards the back room Pete was in. Brendon grabbed Frank by the wrist and dragged him behind the counter. Frank couldn't help but wonder what this guy was on – either coffee, or something way, _way_ stronger. Brendon began talking about anything that came to mind, and Frank tried desperately to follow the conversation, but eventually, he lost interest. Brendon didn't seem to mind, or notice, because the shop was quickly being filled with customers, mainly adults stopping for a coffee before they went to work.

A few hours later, things had slowed down enough for Frank and Brendon to sit down. Brendon got them both coffees, and Pete had gone out again to see his boyfriend for lunch. Brendon had just started to talk about one of his favourite topics – fashion – when someone walked into the cafe. Since Frank wasn't facing the door, he saw Brendon's expression before he saw the person.

"RYAN!" Brendon stood up and ran to the door, pulling the man that had just walked in into a hug. The other man – Ryan, Frank remembered – kissed Brendon on the cheek. Frank also noticed two other men standing behind Ryan, and how they were holding hands. Frank felt a slight pang of jealousy as he saw the unknown men, and even more so when he looked back to Ryan and Brendon, who were swinging their interlocked hands back and forth as they walked towards him.

"...and this is Frank. Frank, this is Ryan," He looked at his boyfriend, who reached out to shake Frank's hand. "Gabe, and William." Brendon gestured at the two men standing behind them. Rank shook all of their hands, and the group sat down and began to talk. Spencer even came out from the back room to see everyone – it seemed as though he, Brendon, and Ryan had known each other for a long time, while Gabe and William were younger, and therefore newer, to their group. Frank quickly became friends with Gabe, William, Spencer, and Brendon, even though they shared very few interests. He wasn't sure about Ryan, though. He seemed very quiet, but at the same time, Frank couldn't help but notice a strange look in his eye. The same look he remembered seeing in his mother's eyes, before she died. Frank shook his head, and focused even more on the conversation the group was having.

A while later, Ryan, Gabe, and William left. Brendon was even more excited now than he had been in the morning. Frank tried to pay attention, but his mind kept wandering.

"...and Gabe's having a party at his place tonight! It'll be so great, don't you think, Frank?" Brendon gushed. "Oh my god! Frank, you should definitely come!" Frank wanted to refuse, but the look in Brendon's eyes melted him a bit.

"Well, I dunno, Brendon...I should probably go see my friend tonight, haven't seen him in a while..." Frank knew this was a lie, but he wasn't really sure about this party. Brendon started to pout. "Oh my god, Brendon, fine!" Frank said, defeated. Brendon smiled.

"Great! Spencer's going, too, so we can pick you up! Oh, it'll be so much fun!" Brendon squealed, and ran to the back room to tell Spencer all about the new addition to the party. Frank smiled, and started cleaning the counter down. An hour later, Pete returned, thanked them for watching the cafe late – Frank hadn't known what time the shop closed, but was glad to know that Pete would pay them extra for staying an hour later. As Frank pulled on his jacket, he told Spencer how to get to Ray's apartment to pick him up for the party.

Frank stepped out the door and walked down the street, not noticing the cold as much as he had the day before.


	3. Chapter 3

Brendon grabbed Frank's arm and pulled him from the car. He dragged the shorter man up the walkway of what was, in the simplest way, a mansion. Frank looked in awe at the size of the place while Brendon chatted excitedly about how Ryan was already here, and how he hoped Ryan would wear the new shirt he had bought him, and that he wanted Ryan to notice the new cologne he was wearing, and that he hoped Ryan wouldn't get sick because Brendon wanted to stay for the whole party, just for once. Frank half listened as Brendon opened the door to Gabe's house and marched in. They dodged people, and after working their way through the packed dance floor, they found Ryan with a few other people at a small table. Frank instantly recognized Pete, his boss, who was sitting with a blond man.

"Hey, Frank!" Pete yelled over the heavy bass. "This is Patrick, he's my boyyyy-frieeennnd!" He slurred. Frank realized that Pete was totally shit faced and relaxed a bit. Brendon yelled in his ear, having torn himself away from Ryan for a moment.

"Pete doesn't care what we do in our spare time – do whatever you want here!" He giggled excitedly, and rushed back to sit in Ryan's lap. Frank turned slightly, and looked around the room. He made his way over to the bar and grabbed a beer – not the crappy watery kind he was used to, but _real_ beer. He sat down in relatively empty corner and cradled his drink. When he was finished, he went up to the bar again and got himself another. He made brief eye contact with Brendon, who waved for him to join them, but Frank waved back and made his way outside. The front lawn was littered with random drink cups, but there was no one around. He sat down on the cement garden ledge and lit a cigarette. Once he had stubbed it out, he looked back at the house, with its too loud music and drunk occupants. He reached back in his pocket and pulled out another cigarette. He threw the pack down on the ledge beside him and leaned back on his hands. He heard the front door open and close, but didn't think much of it until he heard someone sit beside him.

"Got an extra smoke?" The voice asked. Frank opened his eyes to see a dark figure beside him. He reached in his pocket and pulled the pack out, handing one to the man. When he turned to grab the cigarette, a light from the porch hit his face. Frank let a little sigh out. The man had messy black hair, and the most gorgeous hazel eyes he had ever seen. Frank felt a blush spread over his face, and noticed the other man was slightly pink as well.

The stranger lit his cigarette, and looked up at the house.

"Crazy party, huh?" He said softly.

"Yeah." Frank answered. The other man shifted a bit.

"Not really my thing, parties. My brother wanted to come...he needed a ride, so...here I am." He smiled at Frank, and Frank blushed even more.

_Fuck,_ he thought._ What am I, a 12 year old girl with a crush? _

"So, um, what's your name?" Frank asked, and the man looked shy for a moment.

"Gerard."

"Frank." The men shook hands, and Gerard noticed the tattoos on Frank's arm.

"Those look great." Gerard said, making Frank blush again.

"Thanks, man. You have any?" Gerard shifted and looked down.

"Nah, I'm, um...I'm afraid of needles." He looked up at Frank, then immediately back down at his lap. "Pretty lame, huh?" Frank shook his head.

"I'm terrified of spiders. It makes no sense, but I am." Gerard smiled slightly, and looked back at Frank.

"So, Frank, if you hate spiders, then what do you like?"

The two learned that both liked most of the same bands, and while they began debating which Misfits album was the best, they heard the door to the house slam. A blond man – Frank noticed it was Pete's boyfriend, what was his name again...

"PATRICK!" They heard the door slam again, and Pete came rushing out. "PAT! Come back, c'mon, it was just a joke!"

"No, Pete, it wasn't. I'm done with you. You go out, get drunk, and embarrass people. That, I can tolerate. But leaving me for some new guy? You don't even know him."

"Patrick, I'm sorry, pleeaaase! You know I love you!" Pete slurred and stumbled across the lawn.

"Do I? Y'know what Pete, maybe your new boyfriend will be able to hold your hand and help you get over this. I don't care anymore." Patrick climbed into a car and sped off, and Pete dropped to his knees on the lawn. Frank looked at Gerard, who was turned towards the door. Frank looked back and saw a thin man with glasses and brown hair...that looked quite similar to Gerard.

"Frank, I, uh...I gotta go." Gerard said, and he got up. The thin man was walking towards a silver car parked around the side of the house, and Gerard looked hesitantly after him. "Maybe, um, we'll meet up again sometime." He ran his hand through his hair nervously, waiting for Frank to reply.

"Yeah, maybe. See you later, Gerard." Frank watched him leave, and then looked back towards where Pete was still kneeling on the lawn. He made his way over, helped a crying Pete up, and the two walked to Pete's car. Pete was able to direct Frank to his house, and Frank helped him inside. He was about to leave when he noticed that he couldn't. Pete wasn't able to take care of himself. Frank sighed, found some old blankets in one of Pete's closets, and after helping Pete into bed, he crashed on the couch in Pete's room. Before he fell asleep, he thought of Gerard, and realized that he'd probably never see him again.

He tossed and turned all night.


End file.
